It is a mixer that differs from various other "dough kneaders" like Kitchen Aid or Kenwood etc. First, the bowl of this kitchen maschine rotates, while the dough scraper is cleaning the bowl. Here is a youtube video, which shows the Electrolux in action. A picture says more than thousands words, doesn't it?

If your question is specific to page 11 in your bread book. Oblique mixers (also called fork mixers), spiral mixers and planetary mixers are all types of mixers you will find large industrial models of in bread bakeries across the world.

The Assistent is like none of these.

The book specifies a KitchenAid stand mixer as the fourth kind of mixer. The KitchenAid is (I believe) a domestic planetary mixer and there are at least two kind of dough hooks you can use with it.

Again, this is not like the Asssistent.

I don't know which part of the table one should be looking at to judge mixing times for the Bosch Universal Plus (which has a dough hook like a claw and goes around without any planetary action) nor do I know which is best approximation for the Assistent which also has a large open claw dough hook which remains static as the bowl goes around or when using the roller.

I'm sure you already know how the Asssitent works, it's understanding how it works in relation other methods that's tricky when trying to adapt to others' instructions and recipes. I hope you get an answer here also.

Exactly, I already own an Electrolux - the real trick is to figure out the approximate mixing times for the dough, compared to the different kind of mixers that Hamelman mentions. Maybe the nearest mixer is the "Stand Mixer"?

I believe that the Assistent (and its competitor, the Bosch Universal) is considered a spiral mixer. It differs a little from a spiral such as an SP5 (it doesn't have a spiral attachment) but the concept of the rotating bowl is similar.

Hmmmm. I personally won't be calculating my mixing times by comparing my Assistent/DLX with a Haussler Alpha spiral mixer.

This is a question I'm still getting to grips with.

I'm currently using a whole wheat kasha raisin loaf recipe from Laurel's bread book which requires a 25 minute hand kneading time as a way to familiarise myself with the DLX roller mixer.

Yesterday I ran the DLX for 20 minutes on a medium speed to approximate the 25 minutes of hand kneading directions and I may try a little longer next time.
I wouldn't dare use a Haussler Alpha for anything close to this. But perhaps I'm wrong. I've never used one, so what do I know?

Marguerite - you've answered saying "most consider it to be a spiral". There must be a reason for you to state that there's a consensus on this subject, I'd love to learn more about the discussions and articles behind the statement. Do you have any pointers towards where I can find them?

The Assistent is certainly different than a bona-fide spiral. However, I've run across many postings (on pizza boards and even here) where people lump them into that category, along with the Bosch Universal. I guess no one knows where else to place them. One poster said The Bread Bible puts them in that category. (I'm not sure if that's Hensperger or Berenbaum's book, both of the same title.) The reason given? Low oxidation, low friction, and the ability to handle large and small amounts (with variation of technique). However, in terms of actual use, you're so right, a spiral would be FAR more aggressive than a DLX, so it wouldn't really compare in the arena of mixing times and speeds.

What kind of mixer is an Electrolux Assistant? In my book it is the best I have yet to use!

I read somewhere too that a DLX is considered a spiral mixer but I have no experience with other mixers other than a Bosch and a KA. The DLX is very different from those mixers and each mixer that I have used has it's own peculiarities so when I knead doughs I don't pay any attention to the time allotted for kneading in specific recipes. I go by what how the dough feels or looks and what kind of dough development I am going for. There are just too many variables especially with the varying speeds that I can run my DLX on and whether or not I use the hook or the roller on a particular dough.

Sorry I can't be more definitive....maybe you can call the people who sold you the mixer.

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